Grumman F-14 Super Tomcat

The F-14 Super Tomcat was the last variation of this legendary aircraft. She entered into service in 1974 with the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) and ruled the skies until she was finally retired from the U.S. Navy’s active fleet on September 22, 2006.

Due to astronomical costs to keep her operational and the emergence of the lethal Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. It was inevitable that the Grumman F-14 Tomcat would be retired. Don’t worry! The fleet is still in good hands but the Navy sure misses the Tomcat but NOT its adversaries. This aircraft was so deadly, she could be pulled out of retirement right now and still be a formidable frontline fighter!

Grumman F-14 Tomcat – Last Official Flight – Worth Seeing!

The final two F-14 Squadrons, the VF-213 Black Lions and the VF-31 Tomcatters landed for the last time at Naval Air Station Oceana on March 10, 2006. It wasn’t until September 22. 2006 when the Navy conducted the F-14 retirement ceremony where she officially flew for the final time. Well almost, she did fly one more time on October 6, 2006 which was a simple ferry.

She flew for the last and final time from NAS Oceana, Virginia up to Republic Airport in Farmingdale, New York. You can watch her “OFFICIAL” final flight in the video above and see her fly in all her glory. The F-14 Tomcat was a super predator feared by our enemies and loved by an entire nation. To me, the F-14 Tomcat was the most beautiful fighter plane ever built and the most deadly. I hope you enjoy the last flight!

F-14 Tomcat Top Speed

Before we talk about the F-14 Tomcat Top Speed, let’s talk about the heart and soul of this airplane, the engines. Not only is the F-14 Super Tomcat the most beautiful airplane ever created. She is also one of the most deadliest. The F-14 Tomcat was built to counter the Mig-25 Foxbat which was a Russian high altitude interceptor.

The United States Navy had nothing in their inventory to counter this threat so Grumman designed the F-14 Tomcat and the rest is history. The F-14 Tomcat is powered by powerful twin Turbofan, General Electric F110 jet engines. These beasts can reach a top speed of 1,544 mph and with it’s variable-geometry wings and aerodynamic design can fly at low speed too!

This makes the F-14 Tomcat a superb dogfighter and extremely maneuverable. In the right hands of a capable pilot the F-14 Tomcat can outmatch just about any jet fighter in service. This includes even today’s hi-tech military aircraft. They only retired her because of costs and NOT performance. She was DEADLY!

Even though the F-14 Tomcat was a great dogfighter, she could also target 6 aircraft at the same time with the revolutionary Phoenix missile system. The AIM-54 Phoenix is a radar-guided, long-range air-to-air missile (AAM). The F-14 could carry six of these bad boys. The AN/AWG-9 guidance radar was the first aerial weapons system that could engage multiple targets simultaneously.

The Movie That Started It All – Top Gun Legendary Opening Scene & Credits!

The F-14 Tomcat was featured in the 1986 blockbuster hit, “TOPGUN”! That movie put the F-14 on the world stage and is still considered one of the most famous airplanes of all time just because of a movie. In the fighter pilot community, the F-14 Tomcat is world famous for another reason and it’s not because of the movie!

Top Gun brings back a lot of memories and is one of the great movies of all-time! Anyone over the age of 45 remembers when this movie hit the box office. This movie also inspired a generation of fighter pilots who all dreamed of flying the F-14 just like “Maverick” and “Iceman” did in the movie.

Go ahead and watch the short video presentation above. This is the opening scene to the legendary movie Top Gun. The video is only 8 or 9 minutes long. Make sure you have your sound all the way up so you can hear the music and the unmistakeable roar from those nasty F-14 Tomcat engines. Sit back, relax and enjoy the show!

Top Gun is one of my all time favorite movies so I thought I’d share this clip with you. After all, you van’t talk about the F-14 Tomcat and not mention Top Gun. The F-14 Tomcat is what makes the movie great as far as I’m concerned. Anyways, I hope that you enjoyed the video presentation as much as I did.

F-14 Tomcat Cockpit

The F-14 Tomcat Cockpit is where all the magic happens and is a fight pilots dream! The F-14 fits a fighter pilot and its crew just like a glove. It’s like strapping the F-14 to your butt! All the controls are easily accessible and the HUD (Heads Up Display) supplies the pilot with all the information he needs.

The cockpit photo above is from the last variation of the F-14 which was the F-14D. As you can see it’s a tight fit in there so make sure you don’t eat too many cheeseburgers or they’ll kick you out of the flight program. All kidding aside, the F-14 is a two seat fighter plane outfitted with Martin-Baker GRU-7A rocket-propelled ejection seats.

The pilot in command sits up front while the flight engineer sits right behind him. It’s the pilots job to fly the airplane while the engineer is in charge of the weapons systems among other responsibilities. The F-14 has great all around view from inside the cockpit so the pilot has an unprecedented view of what’s going on outside the aircraft.

Inside the nose of the F-14 are several bulky avionics systems which include the Hughes AN/AWG-9 X band radar and has integrated Identification friend or foe antennas. These are the eyes and ears of the Tomcat and was the most advanced radar system in the world at the time. There was no sneaking up on this cat!

There were many upgrades to the F-14 Tomcat Cockpit while she was in service. As technology and weapons systems got better so did the F-14 Tomcat! There was a total of 712 Tomcats built and their were 4 variations of it. The F-14, F-14A, F-14B and the F-14D. Each variation was better than the last ending with the F-14D Super Tomcat.

F-14 Super Tomcat – The Discovery Channel – Wings Documentary

The F-14 Tomcat is one of the greatest fighter planes ever built and she ruled the skies during her time. She was the big stick the U.S. Navy was looking for in a time when she was needed the most. It was a sad day when the F-14 was finally retired. However, all things come to an end but we’ll never forget the F-14 Tomcat!

She is probably the all-time BEST Naval Fighter plane. There has never been anything like it since or ever again. I don’t think we’ll ever see another swept wing fighter like the F-14 ever again but that’s okay. There is only one F-14 Tomcat and it should stay that way. I am in favor of bringing her back out of retirement.

Some of the Navy Brass are in favor of bringing her back but that remains to be seen. If there is a way to bring down the operations cost, they might consider it but I wouldn’t hold my breathe. There were projected variants of the F-14 that were never built. Perhaps they will consider building those variants in the future.

I’ve seen concept art of a stealth version of the F-14 Tomcat that looked like a Buck Rogers spaceship. It would be interesting to see a stealth version of the F-14 someday. To me, the F-14 Tomcat will always be the most beautiful girl in the room. There’s just nothing else that looks as sexy as the F-14 Tomcat!

F-14 Flight Sim

How would you like to fly the F-14 Super Tomcat right NOW? Even though the F-14 has been retired from service you can still fly her in all her glory with the MOST REALISTIC flight simulator ever created for a home PC!

Climb aboard the LEGENDARY F-14 Tomcat and blast-off the deck of an aircraft carrier. Virtual Pilot 3D is the MOST ADVANCED flight sim you can buy! There is no other flight simulator game on the market that even comes close! This is NOT just a F-14 Flight Sim! Virtual Pilot 3D has well over 200 airplanes and helicopters to choose from.

Each aircraft is exactly like their real-life counterparts. If it’s in the plane than in it’s in the game. Every cockpit is an exact replica and all the knobs and switches are clickable. YOU have to fly these planes just like a real pilot would or you can fly around arcade style. The choice is always yours with Virtual Pilot 3D!

Go ahead and click the button below to fly the F-14 Super Tomcat NOW! Even if you’ve never flown a plane before. Virtual Pilot 3D will have you up in the air in no time at all. There are video tutorials so Virtual Pilot 3D has got you covered. If you have any comments or questions. Please leave them below and I’ll get back to you A.S.A.P.!

First Space Shuttle Flight

I remember the First Space Shuttle Flight as if it were yesterday! I was just a 13 year old kid at the time and watched in awe as the Space Shuttle Columbia lifted off from Launch Pad 39A on April 12, 1981 at 7:00:03 a.m. EST. It was a spectacle for all to see and a flight for the ages!

This was the very first time that a reusable spacecraft would be launched into orbit so there was a lot of anticipation in the air. The Space Shuttle Program brought enthusiasm back to NASA and the United States NOT seen since the days of the “LEGENDARY” Apollo Program. All eyes were on Columbia on this very special day.

You can relive this incredible moment in NASA history by watching the AWESOME documentary video above. STS-1 was the very first orbital spaceflight of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program. John Young and Robert Crippen were hand picked to fly the first Shuttle mission in March 1978 and what a flight it was. One for the record books for sure!

The Space Shuttle Columbia launched into history on April 12, 1981 from the Kennedy Space Center on Florida’s Space Coast and safely landed back on Earth at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California on April 14, 1981. The flight duration was 54.5 hours and the Columbia orbited the Earth 36 times.

The Space Shuttle Program

The Space Shuttle Program also known by it’s official name, the Space Transportation System (STS) was the fourth human spaceflight program carried out by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA’s Space Shuttle Program flew low Earth orbit (LEO) missions from 1981 to 2011.

There were a total of 133 successful missions with 2 missions ending in catastrophic failure. The first disaster happened on January 28, 1986 which was STS-51-L. The Space Shuttle Columbia exploded just 73 seconds after lift-off killing all 7 astronauts on board including what would’ve been the first civilian in space teacher Christa McAuliffe.

This tragedy shook the confidence of an entire nation and shocked the World as we all looked on the fateful day. NASA immediately started investigating what went wrong. They determined that the O rings which are placed in between the each section of the solid rocket booster failed due to cold weather conditions.

It wasn’t long after the Rogers Commission Report that NASA’s Space Shuttle Program was up and running again. Sadly, there would be another tragedy that would rock the Space Shuttle Program again just 17 years later. The Space Shuttle Columbia was lost during re-entry approximately 16 minutes before its expected landing at Kennedy Space Center, STS-107, February 1, 2003. The 7 person crew was lost.

May these 14 brave souls rest in peace forever. Here’s a quote from President Reagan’s speech on January 28, 1986. I think it’s fitting for all those lost in our never ending quest to reach for the stars!

“The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved good-bye and ‘slipped the surly bonds of earth’ to ‘touch the face of God.”

President Ronald Reagan, February 1, 1986

Names Of Space Shuttles

There were a total of six Space Shuttles but five actually flew in space. The first Space Shuttle was the Enterprise which was named after the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) (Star Trek starship) and flew only one time on August 12, 1977. She was launched from the top of a specially modified Boeing 747. This was the “OFFICIAL” first flight and it went flawlessly as she glided back to Earth for a safe landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

The Names Of Space Shuttles that actually flew in space are the Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour. These Space Shuttle’s were only launched from Kennedy Space Center and landed at Edwards Air Force Base during the early days of the Space Shuttle Program. They would eventually land at Kennedy Space Center depending on weather conditions at the space center.

The Space Shuttle Program flew from 1981 thru 2011 and cost an estimated $196 billion (2011). The Space Shuttle Fleet flew way longer than they were designed to fly. As the years went on the cost to maintain the Space Shuttle Fleet was astronomical and a determining factor when it came time to finally retire the Space Shuttle Program.

Even though there were two catastrophic missions that cost the lives of 14 brave souls. The Space Shuttle Program was a HUGE technological success. Up until the Challenger disaster in 1986. People around the World considered space flight routine. Unfortunately, space travel is extremely dangerous as we were all reminded of on that fateful day.

Space Shuttle Flight Controls

The Space Shuttle Flight Controls are still the most complicated system ever built by man. In fact, the Space Shuttle could not be flown without the help of it’s on board computer system which was responsible for monitoring all flight system and flew the Space Shuttle back to Earth during re-entry through the atmosphere.

The pilot in command would take control on final approach and gently land the Space Shuttle on the runway. The Space Shuttle is definitely man’s greatest accomplishment! Next to landing a man on the Moon of course but the Space Shuttle is by far the most complicated piece on machinery ever created.

As you can see in the Space Shuttle’s Cockpit above. There are hundreds of switches and knobs along with digital displays that make flying the Space Shuttle an absolute dream for Astronauts. Flying the Space Shuttle is nothing like flying an airplane. It’s NOT even close!

Astronauts spend countless hours inside flight simulators preparing for every kind of disaster conceivable and whatever else NASA can conjure up. As the Space Shuttle Program matured over the decades so did technology. The first all glass cockpit was fitted in the Space Shuttle Atlantis which was a huge leap in technology at the time.

All the magic happens inside the cockpit of the Space Shuttle and during re-entry and Landing the Commander begins the de-orbit burn by firing the orbiter’s engines to slow its speed and take it out of orbit. As soon as the Space Shuttle is about 4 minutes from touchdown the Commander will take over for the final approach.

Everything comes to an end sometime and that’s exactly what happened when the Space Shuttle Atlantic blasted off for the final time on July 8, 2011. Unfortunately, there was NOT a replacement vehicle ready and U.S. Astronauts would have to rely on Russia for a ride to the International Space Station and still do to this very day.

The Orion spacecraft was slated to replace the aging Space Shuttle Program but was abruptly cancelled for political reasons. The good news is that Orion is back in business and has already been test flown and has performed flawlessly so far and scheduled for man flight in the very near future.

As a tribute to the Space Shuttle Program. Watch the documentary above and relive every moment of the Space Shuttle Atlantis’s final flight into the history books as she closes another chapter in human space flight. It was a sad day indeed but a story that will not end with the final flight of the Space Shuttle.

Space Shuttle Flight Simulator

Even though the Space Shuttle is part of history. She still flies in all her glory inside Virtual Pilot 3D! “The World’s MOST REALISTIC Flight Simulator!” Climb aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis and go where few have gone before! Experience the ULTIMATE flight by clicking on the orange button below NOW!

This Space Shuttle Flight Simulator is nothing like you’ve ever flown before! You will know what it’s like to be a real-life Astronaut! This is almost as good as the real thing. ALMOST! This is the BEST space simulation game you can get for a home PC. There has never been anything like it!

Get ready for a KICK-ASS ride pilot! If you have any comments or questions about the Space Shuttle. Please leave them below and I’ll answer your questions to the best of my knowledge. Thank you for stopping by today and I hope to see you on board the Space Shuttle Atlantis!

If you’re ready for YOUR First Space Shuttle Flight NOW! Click on the button below and I’ll see you on the next page. You are NOT going to believe the view from the Space Shuttle. The stunning 4K HD graphics will make you feel as if you’re really in orbit.

North American P-51D Mustang

The North American P-51D Mustang is the “ULTIMATE” dogfighter and quickly dominated the skies over Europe during World War II. This magnificent warbird came along at the right time in history and helped turn the tide in a brutal air war against the Luftwaffe!

German pilots feared the North American P-51 Mustang and for good reason. She was the deadliest fighter in air and shot down 4,950 enemy aircraft while achieving a kill ratio of 11:1 making her the ACE of ACE’s! She entered service when she was needed most and was destined to become a LEGEND.

P-51 Mustang History – Dogfights P-51 Mustang – [Full Documentary]

The United States Army Air Force bombed Germany during the daylight hours while the British conducted their air raids at night. The Americans used their MIGHTY B-17 Super Fortress that had a 10 man crew and thought to be invincible to enemy fighter attacks. The B-17 did not need fighter escorts because they were heavily armed and could withstand an enemy attack, so they thought.

Luftwaffe pilots devastated B-17’s and the losses were horrific and unsustainable. This was a tragic miscalculation that cost the lives of thousands of American airmen. Fighter escorts were now a necessity or the air war would be lost! The problem was, there were no fighter planes with enough range to escort the bombers from England to Germany and back to England.

That was until the P-51 Mustang entered service in January 1943. Not only could she escort the bombers from England to Germany and back. She could also outclass any German frontline fighter in the air. The “LEGENDARY” Tuskeegee Airmen flew P-51 Mustangs and were assigned to escort B-17’s. Did you know? They NEVER lost a single B-17 to enemy fighters! NOT ONE!

P-51 Mustang Top Speed

The P-51 Mustang Top Speed was an impressive 437 mph and made her one of the fastest fighters during the war. She was powered by the British made Packard V-1650 Merlin engine. The P-51 first flew October 26, 1940 which was only 102 days after the contract was signed to design and build her!

The Mustang was originally designed to fly with the Allison V-1710 engine. After the first flight, engineers quickly realized that she was underpowered but her design was revolutionary. Because the RAF was in desperate need of aircraft, she was sent to the British despite the problem with the Allison V-1710 engine.

The P-51 Mustang first flew operationally for the RAF as a fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I) and tactical-reconnaissance aircraft. The RAF replaced the Allison V-1710 with a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. This resulted in the P-51B/C (Mustang Mk III) model and enhanced the Mustang’s performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft, allowing the P-51 to outclass the Luftwaffe’s best frontline fighters.

A “LEGEND” was born and the Luftwaffe’s fate was sealed. The P-51 Mustang came along at the right time in history and the contribution she made helped turn the tide of the airway in Europe. This special airplane has rightfully earned her place in aviation history and will forever be known as the best dogfighter there ever was.

In air shows all around the world, many P-51 Mustangs are still flying and are a sight to see! If you’re lucky, you can see the P-51 in all her glory at one of these airshows. It is an experience you’ll never forget and the sound of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine is incredible!

You are literally taken back in time when this amazing warbird ruled the skies and it can’t be appreciated enough unless you see this awesome machine in the sky yourself. I know that most of you out there have never seen the P-51 in person much less see it fly so I’ve got the next best thing for you.

Watch the MUST SEE video above and make sure your sound is turned all the way up. You are about to see the P-51 Mustang as she flies at an airshow in 2017. I hope you have a great speaker system hooked up because the sound of that Merlin engine is powerful and sounds exactly like it did when she served during the war.

This is the next best thing to being at the airshow so sit back, relax and enjoy the show! Just so you know, there are airshows like this all over the world. Always check your local listing for an upcoming event. You may have to drive hundreds of miles to see this magnificent bird. However, it’s an experience of a lifetime!

P-51 Mustang Cockpit

The P-51 Mustang Cockpit was designed with the fighter pilot in mind. Everything a fighter pilot needed was in designed into the cockpit as you can see in the illustration below. Early Mustangs did not have the bubble canopy. The canopy was similar to what you see on a T-6 Texan.

The pilots view was also restricted from being giving the pilot limited visibility. This all changed when they added the bubble canopy which gave the pilot a 360 degree unprecedented view. This was extremely important at the time because spotting your enemy first was the key to victory. There was no radar aboard fighter planes so you had to have your head on a swivel looking for enemy aircraft.

The P-51 Mustang was a fighter pilots dream and in the right hands was an unstoppable force over the unfriendly European skies. She was originally designed as a long range fighter/bomber but could perform a variety of roles. It was perfect for any mission it was asked to complete and exceeded all exceptions once she became operational. The Luftwaffe feared the Mustang and rightfully so. She was specifically designed to destroy the Luftwaffe.

History has been kind to the P-51 Mustang and those who flew her had a love affair only a fighter pilot could understand. She was a beautiful airplane that packed a mortal punch. Hermann Göring, the head of the Luftwaffe once said the war was lost as he watched P-51 Mustangs flying over Berlin. What a prophetic statement! He realized the war was lost years before the final shot was fired.

North American P-51D Mustang Discovery Channel Wings Documentary

The P-51 Mustang earned her place among the GREATEST airplanes of all time because of her performance in World War II, the Korean War and other conflicts around the world. It’s not very often in aviation history that an airplane like the P-51 Mustang comes along but when they do. They are destined to become legends and you’ll get to see how and why as you watch the Discovery Wings documentary above.

This is a MUST SEE documentary that will take you through the entire history of this legendary aircraft. You will be taken from concept and design to the air war over Europe as the P-51 Mustang made her contribution and into the history books. The P-51 Mustang did it her way and paved the way for the total destruction of the Luftwaffe and eventually the Nazi war machine. Never in the history of warfare has an aircraft contributed so much.

If you want to learn everything about the P-51 Mustang. You need to watch this AMAZING documentary. This is the best P-51 documentary there is. It was produced by the Discovery Wings Channel. Which they need to bring back by the way. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the video presentation as much as I did. I can watch this video over and over again. It never gets old!

Now that you’ve watched the documentary, what do you think? I’m sure you learned all kinds of things in the video but I think we can all agree that she was a special airplane. Even though her era is long gone. She still flies at air shows from time to time and in the MOST REALISTIC flight simulator game, Virtual Pilot 3D!

Fly P-51 Mustang

Travel back in time and fly in an era where guts and skill kept you from being blown out of the sky. Fly the LEGENDARY P-51 Mustang just like a real-life World War II pilot! Feel what it’s like to fly against the best fighter pilots in world and see if you have what it takes to fly another day!

To Fly P-51 Mustang NOW! All you have to do is click on the orange button below. You’ll be taken to Virtual Pilot 3D’s OFFICIAL webpage where you can fly this AWESOME machine. This airplane is modeled after the original P-51 Mustang so you are basically flying the real thing. Well, almost!

The P-51 Mustang is just one of over 200 airplanes and helicopters to choose from. You can fly everything from the 1903 Wright Flyer to the Space Shuttle Atlantis! Virtual Pilot 3D is the BEST flight simulator game you’ve never heard of and is NOT available in stores. If you are looking for the most realistic flying experience money can buy. Virtual Pilot 3D is the flight simulator for you!

Fly the North American P-51D Mustang by clicking on the button below now. You are moments away from a flight of a lifetime. I’ll see you on the next page pilot! If you have any comments or questions about the P-51 Mustang or Virtual Pilot 3D. Please leave them below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I land.

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

The “AMAZING” Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is arguably the GREATEST airplane of all-time and its superb service record says it all. The SR-71 is a true legend in aviation history and was way ahead of her time. She flew faster than a speeding bullet and broke the world record: an “absolute altitude record” of 85,069 feet (25,929 m). No fighter plane or missile could catch the super-fast SR-71 Blackbird.

The SR-71 Blackbird was so fast, she set a speed record every time she took to the skies. NASA retired the SR-71 in 1999 and her last flight was another speed record which still stands today. The SR-71 was and still is the world’s fastest and highest-flying operational manned aircraft. All of her speed records are classified but we do know she flew at MACH 3+ which is 2,301.81 MPH and beyond.

SR-71 pilot Brian Shul states in his book The Untouchables that he flew in excess of Mach 3.5 on April 15, 1986 over Libya to evade a missile. SR-71 pilot James V. Sullivan and Noel F. Widdifield, reconnaissance systems officer (RSO) holds the “speed over a recognized course” record for flying from New York to London.

They flew a distance of distance 3,461.53 miles (5,570.79 km) at an average speed of 1,806.964 miles per hour (2,908.027 km/h). They made this flight in only 1 hour 54 minutes and 56.4 seconds on September 1, 1974. The average speed was about Mach 2.72, including deceleration for in-flight refueling. This is one more record that still stands today!

SR-71 Blackbird Top Speed

I mentioned earlier that the SR-71 Blackbird Top Speed is classified. However, we do have access to information that is not classified that will give us an idea of how fast this bird can really fly. During flight testing , the SR-71 reached a top speed of Mach 3.4 on December 22, 1964. This was the very first time the SR-71 Blackbird stretched her wings. She took off from Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.

She made history that day with her first speed record with many more to come. Every time the SR-71 took to the skies, it was historic. The SR-71 Blackbird is the only airplane in the history of aviation to have a resume quite like this. After all, this airplane does fly faster than a missile! Only Superman himself could catch up with this bird.

Each of the Blackbird’s reconnaissance missions were records breakers in themselves. Every time the Blackbird flew, she broke another speed or altitude record. This airplane got better and faster with each flight. This plane was destined for greatness as soon as it was drawn onto to piece of paper.

The SR-71 was created because of project Archangel which began in 1958. Project Archangel was a project for designing high-altitude surveillance aircraft. Out of this program came the infamous U-2 Spy-plane. Even though she was a great surveillance and reconnoissance aircraft, she was also extremely vulnerable.

In 1960, disaster would strike the CIA’s U-2 program and created a very serious National incident that was very embarrassing to the United States. The downing of Francis Gary Powers’s U-2 underscored its vulnerability and the need for faster reconnaissance aircraft such as the A-12 which would later become the LEGENDARY SR-71 Blackbird.

Battle Stations – SR-71 Blackbird Stealth Plane -Full Documentary

American aerospace engineer Clarence “Kelly” Johnson is the father of the “LEGENDARY” SR-71 Blackbird and the infamous U-2 Spy-plane. He was one of the most talented engineers at Lockheed and its famous Skunk Works division. Clarence “Kelly” Johnson was responsible for many of the SR-71’s design’s and innovative concepts.

The SR-71 served with the U.S. Air Force from 1964 to 1998 and served with NASA to 1999. A total of 32 SR-71’s were built. During her service, 12 were lost due to accidents but incredibly, none were ver lost due to enemy action. She was designed to outfly any threat in the sky and she did it better than any other aircraft in history.

Over the many years in service, the SR-71 has been given several nicknames, including “Blackbird” and “Habu”. For those of you that don’t know what a Habu is, I’ll give you a quick explanation. Protobothrops flavoviridis is a species of venomous pit viper endemic to the Ryukyu Islands of Japan and are famous for their lightning fast strike capability.

The SR-71 was originally designed to be powered by the Pratt & Whitney J58 engine. However, development ran over schedule and it was equipped with the far less powerful Pratt & Whitney J75 engine. The J58s were retrofitted as they became available. The standard power-plant for all subsequent aircraft in the series (A-12, YF-12, M-21), as well as the SR-71 Blackbird.

SR-71 Blackbird Speed Record

There are more than just one SR-71 Blackbird Speed Record. There are countless speed and altitude records the SR-71 holds and many of them still stand today. On March 6, 1990, Lt. Col. Joseph T. Vida and Lt. Col. Raymond E. Yeilding piloted the SR-71 S/N 61-7972 on its final Senior Crown flight and set four brand new speed records in the process:

Kansas City, Missouri, to Washington, D.C., distance 942 miles (1,516 km), at an average speed of 2,176 miles per hour (3,502 km/h), and an elapsed time of 25 minutes 59 seconds.

West Coast to East Coast, distance 2,404 miles (3,869 km), an average speed of 2,124.5 miles per hour (3,419.1 km/h), and an elapsed time of a 67 minutes 54 seconds.

St. Louis, Missouri, to Cincinnati, Ohio, distance 311.4 miles (501.1 km), at an average speed of 2,189.9 miles per hour (3,524.3 km/h), and an elapsed time of 8 minutes 32 seconds.

Los Angeles, California, to Washington, D.C., distance 2,299.7 miles (3,701.0 km), average speed 2,144.8 miles per hour (3,451.7 km/h), and an elapsed time of 64 minutes 20 seconds.

These four speed records were accepted by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), they are the recognized body for aviation records in the United States. Additionally, the Air & Space/Smithsonian reported that the Air Force clocked the SR-71 at one point in its flight reaching 2,242.48 miles per hour (3,608.92 km/h).

After the Los Angeles–Washington flight, on March 6, 1990, Senator John Glenn addressed the United States Senate, blasting the Department of Defense for not using the SR-71 to its full potential. Although Senator Glenn may have been right in his criticism. The SR-71 was part of the black program. Some experts have speculated that she flew at Mach 4+.

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird – Discovery Channel – Great Planes

The SR-71 Blackbird is arguably and in my humble opinion, the greatest airplane of all-time. That’s a pretty bold statement considering other great aircraft past and current. This airplane is a true legend and exceeded its design capabilities. Every once in a while an airplane like this comes along and revolutionizes the way man flies. The SR-71 Blackbird is one of those special airplanes.

There were 3 variants of the SR-71 Blackbird. The SR-71A is the main production variant and was the workhorse for the United States Air Force, CIA and NASA. The second variant is the SR-71B which was strictly used as a trainer and the final variant is the SR-71C which was a hybrid aircraft.

She was composed of the forward fuselage from an SR-71 static test unit and the rear fuselage of the first YF-12A (S/N 60-6934). The YF-12 had been wrecked in a 1966 landing accident. This hybrid SR-71C Blackbird was not quite straight and had a yaw at supersonic speeds. The SR-71 pilots nicknamed her “The Bastard”.

There has been lots of speculation about the SR-71’s successor. That’s all we can do is speculate because the program is classified. Just imagine what the capabilities are with this new aircraft. The “Top Secret” aircraft codenamed Aurora is rumored to be in operation. Whether it’s the Aurora or not. It has to be something special to replace the SR-71 Blackbird!

Fly The “AMAZING” SR-71 Blackbird!

How would you like to fly faster than a speeding bullet? Now’s your chance to fly the LEGENDARY SR-71 Blackbird! You will experience this airplane just like a real-life SR-71 pilot would. This is truly a unique flight simulator experience!

Jump into the cockpit of a real SR-71 Blackbird and see what the Earth looks like from 85,000 feet. The view from your cockpit view is spectacular as you fly at Mach 3+ and beyond! You are moments away from one heck of a ride and it starts with a click of a button.

You are about to get instant access to the MOST ADVANCED flight simulator game ever created for a home computer. The SR-71 Blackbird is just 1 of over 200 airplanes and helicopters you have to choose from. No other flight simulator game on the market have this many aircraft to fly. It’s like owning your own Air and Space Museum!

Fly the “Legendary” Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird by clicking on the orange button NOW! If you have any comments or questions about the SR-71 Blackbird. Please leave them below now and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. I answer every inquiry so you are GUARANTEED to get a response. Don’t be shy, I’d love to hear from you. Thank you for spending your valuable time with us today!

Are UFO’s Real?

There are those who believe that UFO’s are real and over the many decades. Lots of compelling evidence have been accumulated for the whole World to see. Thanks to the internet, everything you ever wanted to know about UFO’s and Extraterrestrials are just a click away.

An unidentified flying object (UFO) is an object in the sky that can not be identified. The term UFO comes from another famous term coined in the 1950’s, Flying Saucer. The term UFO is widely used for reported sightings of extraterrestrial spacecraft.

The video you are about to see is the BEST evidence ever caught on film in my opinion. I want to make one thing clear! Do your own research on this particular incident. The film was sent to the University of Istanbul and confirmed by some of the World’s top scientists to be AUTHENTIC! There is plenty of information available online for you to make your own judgement.

This incredible video was filmed on June 22, 2007 at 4:00 AM off the coast of Turkey. What I find absolutely AMAZING is NOT the UFO itself but what seems to be Aliens inside the spacecraft. If you look carefully at the video you’ll see what appears to be 2 grey Aliens inside the spacecraft. There is even body movement which can clearly be seen and will be pointed out in the film.

Dr. Roger Leir is the author of “Aliens and the Scalpel,” and one of the worlds leading authorities in physical evidence research involving UFO’s and physiological and biological aspects of the abduction phenomenon. Listen carefully as he narrates the short video presentation. Sit back and enjoy the show! Please let me know in the comments below if you think this is real or not. Remember, YOU are the “ULTIMATE” judge and jury!

Watch Incredible UFO Videos!

You just watched one of the most incredible UFO Videos you’ll find anywhere online or anywhere else for that matter. I hope you enjoyed the short video presentation as much as I did. What do you think? Is this video enough to convince you that UFO’s are real? You be the judge and make sure you share your thoughts below.

I happen to think that this is the BEST evidence to date and believe this AWESOME footage is absolutely 100% real. That’s just my opinion and my opinion alone because I happen to have an open mind when it comes to the possibility of Extraterrestrial life. Stop and think about this mind-blowing fact I’m about to reveal to you for a moment.

Did you know? More than 99 percent of all species, amounting to over five billion species, that ever lived on Earth are estimated to have died out. That is an unbelievable percentage that you really have to think about for a moment because that astronomical statistic alone is hard to comprehend considering the billions of different species alive on our planet today.

Can you imagine the billions of life forms that once existed? We already know about Neanderthals and Dinosaurs for example but there is so much we don’t know. Now, consider the vastness of space and trillions of galaxies and planets. It’s mathematically impossible for life NOT to exist beyond our solar system. Like I said earlier, look at the diversity of life on this planet alone. Chances are, ‘We Are Not Alone!”. Whether or NOT Aliens have visited Earth is debatable but most likely probable. There is considerable archaeological evidence that supports this theory.

Alien Interview Part 1 👽 The Secrets of Universe Are Shockingly Revealed 👽 Project Blue Book

You can not talk about UFO’s without Alien life and Area 51 entering into conversation. All three subjects are forever intertwined with each other and cannot be separated from the topic at hand. In order to learn the true origin of UFO’s. You have to understand how Aliens and Area 51 could be directly linked to the UFO phenomena.

Area 51 is a top secret military base in the Nevada desert used for testing top secret aircraft. This is where the F-117 Stealth Fighter was devoloped and kept out of the public eye for nearly two decades before it was revealed during the 1991 Gulf War. If they can keep the F-117 secret for that long. Just imagine what they’re flying there today!

What you are about to see in an Alien interview inside Area 51 in 1964. This “SHOCKING” video is from the Top Secret files of Project Blue Book which was an Air Force program designated with the task to investigate UFO reports. The program was retired in 1969 but this AMAZING video surfaced just a few years ago and has been controversial ever since.

I have watched this video several times and can’t say that if it’s real or not. I do have to admit that it is pretty convincing and what this Alien has to say makes a lot of sense. Please watch this video for yourself and decide if you think this is a real Alien interview or not. The Alien in the video was named ‘EBE-3’ and was held captive for 5 days. Subject disappeared from Government records on the date of this event.

Special Note: [‘EBE-3’ Remarkably Resembles The Aliens In The Turkey UFO Video Above] Do you think this is a coincidence or NOT?

The Most Famous UFO Pictures!

You are looking at one of the MOST FAMOUS UFO Pictures of all-time! This remarkable photo was taken in the late evening of February 24 into the early morning hours of February 25, 1942, over Los Angeles, California. During this time a rumored enemy attack and subsequent anti-aircraft artillery barrage went on for several hours.

The name of the photo above is called “The Battle of Los Angeles”, also known as “The Great Los Angeles Air Raid”. This historic event unfolded only 2 months after the devastating Pearl Harbor attack which took place December 7, 1941. At that time, the United States was in a state of war with the Empire of Japan and thought this UFO was a Japanese Air-raid. Not one artillery shell brought down this unknown object!

The two famous UFO Pictures below are known as the McMinnville UFO photographs and were taken on a farm near McMinnville, Oregon, United States, in 1950. These are probably the most published photos UFO Pictures of all-time because the photos were reprinted in Life magazine and in newspapers across the nation and are often considered to be among the most famous ever taken of a UFO.

These are the two photos I chose because they are the MOST FAMOUS UFO Pictures of all-time and have been re-published countless times over the decades. Whether these photos are real or not is debatable. However, both of these photos have been meticulously analyzed by experts and have never been debunked to this very day. You be the judge and decide for yourself!

UFOs & AREA 51 🛸 Secrets Of The Black World 🛸 FEATURE FILM

If you were to drive along State Route 375, the “Extraterrestrial Highway”, south of Rachel, Nevada. You will eventually drive right up to Area 51’s front gate. Getting inside the secret military base is a whole other story. That’s because there’s top secret aircraft testing going on and rumored to be UFO’s and other exotic technologies. Extraterrestrials have long been rumored to be on the base as well.

In 2005, the CIA finally publicly acknowledged the existence of the Area 51 for the first time ever, declassifying documents detailing the history and purpose of Area 51. Although some documents were declassified, you can bet the house that no real facts about Area 51 and the activities going on inside were included in the documents.

However, what we do know is the base’s current primary purpose is publicly unknown. Based on historical evidence, we do know that it most likely supports the development and testing of weapons systems and experimental aircraft also known as (Black Projects). We may never know what really goes on inside Area 51 but what ever it is going on is probably out of this world!

Did I prove that Aliens and UFO’s exist in this report? OF COURSE NOT! What I did do is provide some of the best video and photographic evidence I could find during my research. It’s up to you to do your own research and come to your own conclusions. If anything, I hope that you do your own research with an open mind. After all, the truth is right in front of you. You just have to look for it!

Fly A Real UFO!

Did you know? You can fly a Real UFO just moments from now. Click on the orange button below and check out “The World’s Most Realistic Flight Simulator!”, Virtual Pilot 3D! Whether you believe in UFO’s or NOT, they fly inside Virtual Pilot 3D.

This is the MOST ADVANCED flight simulator game money can buy. Virtual Pilot 3D has well over 200 airplanes and helicopters to choose from including the Space Shuttle Atlantis and a real-life UFO with all the Alien technology and characteristics including antigravity that you would expect with an Extraterrestrial spacecraft.

No other flight simulator game on planet Earth offers so many aircraft to fly and with it’s SUPERIOR flight modeling software makes it the #1 flight simulator game on the market today. Virtual Pilot 3D rivals other flight simulator games such as Flight Simulator X and Microsoft Flight Simulator. Even though those flight simulator games are GREAT, Virtual Pilot 3D is even better!

I hope that you enjoyed my report about UFO’s as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any questions or comments about UFO’s, Please leave them below NOW! I’d also like to hear your thoughts on the evidence presented to you in this report. Every question or comment will be responded to within 24 hours or in real-time whenever I’m on the site working.

The 1903 Wright Flyer

It was a cold and windy day in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on December 17, 1903. The 1903 Wright Flyer is just moments away from making history. The wind speed was averaging more than 20 miles per hour which were ideal conditions for this historic first flight.

The Wright Brothers decided this was the time to fly. They carefully laid out the launching rail and made their final preparations. Orville took his place aboard the Wright Flyer as his brother Wilbur looked on. With the engine running and purring like a kitten. It was almost time for the brothers inevitable date with destiny!

Wright Brothers First Flight RARE Footage – MUST SEE VIDEO!

The time has come to fly into history! Orville throttled up the engine to full power and off he went down the launching rail heading right into a bone chilling 20 knot wind blowing in his face. He finally left the launching rail and flew into the history books. Mans first powered flight only lasted for 12 seconds and flew a total of 120 feet (37m).

That distance is less than the wingspan of a Boeing 747! This first flight is the one that started it all and just under 66 years later, man would walk on the Moon. These guys could have never imagined what an impact they would have for generations to come. The first powered flight enabled man to fly faster than a speeding bullet with the AMAZING SR-71 Blackbird.

There was a total of four historic flights that memorable day with Wilbur and Orville taking turns at the controls. Wilbur did actually fly the first flight but as soon as he left the launching rail he pitched to the right and stalled. The Wright Flyer sustained minor damage which was quickly repaired for Orville’s historic first flight which was really the second flight.

Here’s A Fun Fact: Orville and Wilbur flipped a coin to see who would fly first. Wilbur won the flip but the first flight was unsuccessful. Orville would fly into history on the second flight of the day on December 17, 1903.

Wright Brothers History

In order to fully understand man’s first powered flight, you have to know the Wright Brothers History. Orville was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1871 and Wilbur near Millville, Indiana, in 1867. In 1878 their father, brought the boys a toy helicopter which was about a foot long.

The helicopter was based on an invention of French aeronautical pioneer Alphonse Pénaud. It was made of cork, bamboo and paper with a rubber band powered rotor. The brothers played with their toy helicopter until it broke. What they did next was truly AMAZING! They actually built their own working helicopter.

Briefly before the Wright Brothers opened up a repair and sales shop (the Wright Cycle Exchange, later the Wright Cycle Company) in December of 1892. They were in the printing business with a printing machine that the brothers built and designed themselves in 1889. For a brief period of time, the Wright brothers printed the Dayton Tattler which was a local newspaper at the time.

Being the entrepreneurs they were, they decided to take advantage of a brand new invention called the safety bicycle. It was a revolutionary new bicycle and lightyears ahead of the penny-farthing design (big-wheel bike). The penny-farthing design is a bicycle which is part of transportation history but was extremely dangerous to ride because of its huge front wheel.

The brothers quickly capitalized off of the national bicycle craze spurred by the brand new safety bicycle which was much easier to ride and much safer too. The safety bicycle was a huge breakthrough and could be ridden by just about anyone. In 1896, the brothers began manufacturing their own brand. That’s how they funded their growing interest in powered flight.

Wright Brothers First Flight

You are looking at the MOST FAMOUS photograph in aviation history! The Wright Brothers First Flight pictured below was taken on December 17, 1903 at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. In this famous photo, you can see The Wright Flyer as it lifts off from the launching rail with Orville onboard. You can see Wilbur off to the side looking on with anticipation. What a historic moment caught on film!

It took a lot of trial and error before this famous photo was taken. The Wright Brothers based their design in the 1890s by other aviation pioneers. They first started with a glider that was a box kite that they thoroughly tested before scaling up their design to a full size glider. There was still a lot of work to be done because they still haven’t figured out how to control the Wright Flyer.

Keep in mind what they were attempting to do has never been done before so they literally had to invent everything. There are 4 forces of flight the brothers were just beginning to understand. These same forces still apply today. They are lift, thrust, drag, and weight. The brothers needed to understand al of these forces and how to overcome them. This is why they were true geniuses!

They were able to overcome each obstacle along the way inventing things like their own wind tunnel to test drag and lift. The brothers even invented their own propellers which are aerodynamically perfect! Alll of this work took many years but on December 17, 1903, all of their work paid off for all of mankind. You can see the “ORIGINAL” Wright Flyer in the Air & Space Museum at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C., which is in the image above.

It was a rainy day in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina for The Wright Brothers Centennial of Flight celebration. Exactly 100 years to the day of the Wright Brothers historic first flight. Over 35,000 flight enthusiasts gathered at Kitty-hawk to watch a reproduction Wright Flyer take to the skies just like the original Wright Flyer did 100 years ago to the very day.

There was a lot of excitement in the air as the festivities were kicked off by a few words by President Bush earlier in the day. Finally, the 100th-anniversary attempt to re-create the Wright brothers’ first flight was just about to begin. The crowd looked in aw as the replica Wright Flyer started down the launching rail and attempt to fly into history just like the Wright Brothers did on this very spot so many decades ago.

As it roared down the 200 foot wooden launching rail, the crowd cheered with anticipation. The replica Wright Flyer left the launching rail flying just 6 inches off the ground before crashing into a mud puddle. The crowd groaned as this first attempt was a complete failure just like Wilbur’s first flight was before Orville flew into history on the second flight that same day.

The replica Wright Flyer cost a staggering $1.2 million to build so the Experimental Aircraft Association, which built most of the Wright Flyer, took 3 hours to repair the damage but the Wright Flyer would never be able to fly that day. The weather conditions were rainy with calm winds. The Wright Brothers had a 20 knot head-wind the day they flew into history.

*Important To Note: With all the modern technology to reproduce the Wright Flyer, they could NOT accomplish what the Wright Brothers did 100 years earlier.

Wright Flyer Engine & Cockpit

The Wright Flyer Engine was designed by Wilbur and Orville Wright and the Wrights “mechanician,” Charlie Taylor, who assembled the engine and machined the parts himself. Here are Charlie’s words about building the engine, “We didn’t make any drawings. One of us would sketch out the part we were talking about on a piece of scratch paper, and I’d spike the sketch over my bench. It took me six weeks to make that engine!”

You are looking at the ORIGINAL Wright Flyer Engine on the same 1903 Wright Flyer that made the first powered flight. This photo was taken at the Smithsonian where you can see the Wright Flyer Engine for yourself. It was a state-of-the-art engine it its day and a masterpiece of engineering. It was the Wright Flyer Engine that help make powdered flight possible!

Take a good look at the photo below. You are looking at a first person view from the cockpit of the one and only 1903 Wright Flyer. This is the same view Orville would have had during his first flight in December of 1903. As you can see, Orville had to lay on his belly just like a glider pilot does to fly the Wright Flyer. This was flying at it’s BEST and in its infancy with the wind blowing right in your face!

There was only one Wright Flyer built and flew only four times. Later flyers included the Wright Flyer II‎ and the ‎Wright Flyer III. You no longer had to lay on your belly because they added a couple of seats that were positioned side by side. This was a huge improvement among many others like an engine with more horsepower and a sturdier frame. If these guys could only see what’s in the sky today!

Building A Running 1903 Wright Flyer Reproduction Engine

For The Wright Brothers Centennial of Flight celebration, The Wright Experience who was tasked with building a replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer needed an engine to complete their project. They decided to hire Jim and Steve Hay of Hay Manufacturing Co. in Minnesota to build the replica Wright Flyer Engine.

You would think that this would be quite a task for a company that makes trumpets parts, steel stampings and tool work. The reason why The Wright Experience went to Hay Manufacturing Co. is because they’ve already built a 1903 Wright Engine in 1976 which was first run at the EAA convention in 1977 and has been run during every EAA Convention ever since.

The Wright Experience had the Hay Manufacturing Co. build 3 Wright Flyer Engines for them. Each engine was built to the exact same specifications of the ORIGINAL Wright Flyer Engine. The original Wright Flyer Engine weighed about 180 pounds and could produce 12 horsepower at 1,025 revolutions per minute. The Wright Flyer Engine actually produced nearly 16 hp when it was first started but this dropped to 12 hp as soon as the engine heated up.

The Wright Flyer Engine is a key piece of aviation history and you can watch how the Hay Manufacturing Co. built this fantastic piece of machinery. Take a few moments and watch one of these Wright Flyers Engines being built. You’ll get to see how it’s done and BEST of all, hear what she sounds like! This is the closest you’ll ever get to hearing what the actual 1903 Wright Flyer sounded like. This is a MUST WATCH video!

Fly The 1903 Wright Flyer!

Hey Pilots! How would you like to fly the 1903 Wright Flyer right NOW? All you have to do is click on the button below and experience what it was like to fly with bugs in your teeth and the wind in your hair. This is flying like you’ve never experienced before! In fact, if you haven’t flown Virtual Pilot 3D, than you haven’t experienced what real-life flight is all about!

You are moments away from getting instant access to “The World’s MOST REALISTIC Flight Simulator Game!” Choose from over 200 aircraft to fly! Everything from the 1903 Wright Flyer to the Space Shuttle Atlantis and everything in between. No other flight simulator offers this many aircraft to fly. NONE!

You are just a few moments away from a kick-ass ride! Virtual Pilot 3D rivals popular flight simulator games like Microsoft Flight Simulator and Flight Simulator X. Even though those flight simulator games are GREAT, they don’t even come close to the ultra-realism Virtual Pilot 3D’s advanced flight modeling system can provide. This is flying the way it was meant to be! Virtual Pilot 3D is the MOST ADVANCED flight simulator game ever created for a PC!

Go ahead and test-fly The 1903 Wright Flyer NOW! Click on the button below and see what Virtual Pilot 3D is all about. If you have any comments or questions about The 1903 Wright Flyer or Virtual Pilot 3D, please leave them below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks for taking the time to land on our page today.

Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis

The Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis was originally designated as the XS-1 and was a joint National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics–U.S. Army Air Forces–U.S. Air Force supersonic research project. The aircraft was designed in 1944 and built by Bell Aircraft in 1945.

The Bell X-1 is a rocket engine–powered aircraft and was piloted by a LEGENDARY pilot named Chuck Yeager. This was the first manned aircraft to exceed the speed of sound in level flight on October 14, 1947 and forever changed the course of aviation history! Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier which most engineers believed to be unbreakable.

There were many attempts made before this historic flight that almost ended in catastrophe. Every time the X-1 approached Mach-1, which is the speed of sound. The X-1’s elevator became inoperable at Mach 0.94 because of aerodynamics which caused Chuck Yeager to actually lose control of the aircraft. He was able to regain control of the X-1 and live to fly another day.

The engineers went back to work and figured out how to overcome the problem with the elevator once the X-1 approached Mach-1. To solve this problem, the engineers changed the tail configuration into an all flying tail, connecting the stabilizer directly to the stick. This is the same configuration most supersonic aircraft still fly with today.

Bell X-1 Aircraft

There were 6 variants of the Bell X-1 Aircraft which were the X-1, X-1A, X-1B, X-1C, X-1D and the X-1E. These were the first X-Planes that started it all which helped pave the way for legendary aircraft like the AMAZING North American X-15 and the super-fast SR-71 Blackbird which literally flew “Faster Than A Speeding Bullet!”.

The Bell X-1 was piloted by Captain Charles “Chuck” Yeager the day that man flew faster than sound for the very first time. It was October 14, 1947 when Yeager flew into history but it didn’t just happen overnight. There were a lot of engineering problems to solve and Chuck Yeager was the BEST man for the job to fly this thing.

There was nothing routine about an X-1 flight so Captain Yeager was literally flying by the seat of his pants. Flying faster than sound presented the engineers with all kinds of obstacles to overcome. They needed a test pilot with nerves of steel to fly the X-1 because there were a lot of unknown variables.

Captain Chuck Yeager arguably saved the X-Plane program when he was trying to break the sound barrier one day. As he approached Mach 1, the X-1 started to violently shutter and Yeager lost control of the aircraft. If it wasn’t for his incredible flying skills, the X-1 would have been lost and it would have been a major setback for the X-1 Program.

The Bell X-1 was shaped like a bullet with wings and closely resembles a Browning .50-caliber (12.7 mm) machine gun bullet which was known to be stable in supersonic flight at that time. The X-1 Program was a tremendous success and achieved its goal to fly faster than sound and paved the way for the exotic aircraft technology we have today.

Bell X-1 Rocket Plane

Most people don’t realize the the Bell X-1 was indeed a rocket plane. At the time, there were no jet engines powerful enough at altitude to power the Bell X-1 Rocket Plane so the only alternative engineers could come up with was using a rocket engine. It wasn’t any ordinary rocket engine either, it was specially built for the Bell X-1.

It was a marriage made in heaven right from the start! The XLR-11 rocket engine which is pictured below was state-of-the-art at the time and boasted a hefty 7,000 lbs (3,175 kg) of thrust giving it more than enough speed to finally break the sound barrier. The X-1 itself and the amount of fuel it could carry were the only limitations to the XLR-11 rocket engine.

During early test flights of the Bell X-1, it was revealed there some flaws in the design which needed to be corrected if they were ever going achieve their goal. Those design flaws were corrected and the rest as they say is history! The Bell X-1 does fit into the category of “legendary aircraft” and changed the way we fly forever.

The Bell X-1 was originally designed to take-off like conventional aircraft from a runway because it was thought that this aircraft would become a fighter plane. As research and development began, the end of World War II was on the horizon so the B-29 Super-fortress became available for drop launching the Bell X-1 from around 29,000 feet (8,800 m).

Chuck Yeager Breaks Sound Barrier

On October 14, 1947 Chuck Yeager Breaks Sound Barrier in the Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis. Captain Chuck Yeager named the X-1 after his lovely wife Glennis. This was just after World War II so it was common for pilots to name their aircraft after their girlfriends, wives and mothers.

The day before this historic flight, Chuck was horseback riding with his wife in the dessert when he was thrown from his horse. The accident ended up breaking a few ribs putting his historic flight in jeopardy! The problem was that Captain Yeager had to reach to his right in order to lock the hatch.

Desperate not to miss this flight, Chuck kept his injury a secret and he came up with a genius plan with the help of a janitors broom. Chuck got the idea to cut off part of the broom handle and use it to lock the hatch. As history would have it no other way, it worked like a charm and the flight went on as planned.

Just after the Bell X-1 dropped from the B-29’s cargo bay, Captain Yeager hit the throttle and the X-1 took off like a bat out of hell. There was a loud sonic boom that could be heard across the desert. No one knew what to make of that sound because it was never heard before. The world wouldn’t find out for two more months because of a leaked article featured on the front page of The Los Angeles Times on December 22, 1947.

Bell X-1 Cockpit

As you can see in the Bell X-1 Cockpit photograph above, the cockpit was not designed for those that are claustrophobic. If you’re looking for comfort, the X-1 is not for you. The pilot seat is literally on the floor of the aircraft and the flight controls are right in your face.

You have to keep in mind that the X-1 was an experimental aircraft so not much thought went into the cockpit. However, the engineers at Bell Aircraft made sure everything the pilot needed was in the cockpit. Take a look at the photo below and get a first person view of what it would look like from inside the Bell X-1 Cockpit.

That is the same view Chuck Yeager had when he broke the sound barrier. It is also the same view from the exact plane that flew that day! As you look out of the front canopy, look to your bottom right. You’ll see the hatch I was talking about earlier. The hatch had to be locked from the inside by the pilot.

Could you imagine what it must of felt like sitting in that thing? It was an experimental aircraft so anything could go wrong. Captain Chuck Yeager gave it no second thought! He was the right man for the job that had “The Right Stuff” too! It takes a special breed of pilot to be a test pilot in the X-Plane Program.

In honor of the Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis, the LEGENDARY rocket plane that broke the sound barrier. 65 years later to the exact day and time. General Charles “Chuck” Yeager climbs aboard an F-15 Eagle as part of an honor flight to celebrate this historic day. This flight took place at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada on October 14, 2012.

Go ahead and take a few minutes to watch the General fly this historic flight again over the Nevada dessert. There is even some footage from inside the cockpit too! This is a MUST SEE video for flight enthusiasts so make sure everything else is turned off and your sound is turned on. You’re not going to want to miss a word the General has too say!

I really hoped you enjoyed General Chuck Yeager’s flight to commemorate the 65th anniversary of mans first supersonic flight. General Chuck Yeager is a national treasure and so is the Bell X-1. You can see the ORIGINAL X-1 at the Smithsonian’s Air & Space Museum in Washington D.C. It’s definitely worth the trip!

There is only one Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis and you can find it alongside the Spirit of St. Louis and SpaceShipOne. The X-1 was presented to what was then known as the American National Air Museum in 1950. She arrived beneath a B-29 Super fortress which is only fitting considering they both made history together on that fateful day in October of 1947.

Break The Sound Barrier Again Aboard The Bell X-1 NOW!

Now that you know all about the Bell X-1 and her historic flight. How would you like to fly into history yourself? You can actually fly faster than the speed of sound by clicking on the orange button below now! This ain’t your daddy’s flight simulator game so you need to buckle up pilots!

You are moments away from a bone rattling ride aboard the LEGENDARY Bell X-1 which you can only fly inside Virtual Pilot 3D. “The World’s MOST REALISTIC Flight Simulator!” This is flying the way it was truly meant to be and with its superior flight modeling system. You are in for a flight experience that is second to none, GUARANTEED!

Virtual Pilot 3D rivals other flight simulator games like Microsoft and Flight Simulator X. Those flight simulator games are GREAT! However, Virtual Pilot 3D is even better with over 200 real-life airplanes and helicopters to fly. No other flight simulator game in the industry has this many aircraft to fly, NONE!

Go ahead and fly into history with the Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis now! All you have to do is click on the button below and I’ll see you on the next page. Believe me, you’re in for one hell of a flight! If you have any comments or questions about the Bell X-1 or Virtual Pilot 3D. Please leave them below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I’m done flying this historic X-Plane myself.

General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon – The “ULTIMATE” Bird Of Prey!

The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon first flew on January 20, 1974 and entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) on August 17, 1978. She is still in service today with well over 4,500 aircraft built since it went into production in 1976. The United States Air Force along with 25 other nations fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon and she is also flown by the World famous USAF Thunderbirds.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single seat multi-role fighter plane that will give any frontline fighter a run for it’s money. Especially, in the hands of an experienced fighter pilot. The F-16 is equipped with a internal M61 Vulcan cannon plus 11 locations for mission equipment and mounting weapons. The F-16 is famous for her frameless bubble canopy and a pilot’s seat that is reclined 30 degrees in order to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot.

In addition to better visibility and less effect of g-forces on the pilots body. The control stick is mounted on the side of the cockpit for ease of control while maneuvering the airplane. She is also the first aircraft to fly using a relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire flight control system which is why the F-16 is so maneuverable.

The F-16’s OFFICIAL name is the “Fighting Falcon”, but over the years her pilots and crews often refer to her as the “Viper” because of her uncanny resemblance to the Colonial Viper star-fighter on Battlestar Galactica which was a popular sci-fi television show back in the 1970’s and revised again in 2003. You can clearly see the resemblance below!

F-16 Top Speed

The F-16 Top Speed at sea level is Mach 1.2 (915 mph, 1,470 km/h) and at altitude is Mach 2 (1,320 mph; 2,120 km/h) with a clean configuration which means she’s flying without missiles or drop tanks. She has a service ceiling of 50,000+ ft (15,240+ m) and a rate of climb of 50,000 ft/min (254 m/s). That’s a little over 4 minutes to reach 50,000 ft so she’s flying like a rocket!

Her superior lightweight design and easy low-cost maintenance is why she is still in service today. The F-16 flies for the United States Air Force and 25 other countries throughout the world. She is a GREAT frontline fighter for any Air Force and is one of the most versatile and maneuverable aircraft ever designed for combat operations.

The F-16 is deadly in the right hands and is feared by her enemies. She has evolved into the ultimate bird-of-prey and just like fine wine, only gets better with age. There’s no reason why the F-16 won’t be around in another 50 years. It was a design way ahead of it’s time and because of leaps in technology. She still holds her edge against even some of the newer fighters in service today.

Her outstanding maneuverability and unprecedented raw power would not be possible without her engine. The initial power plant selected for the F-16 was the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200 after-burning turbofan. This was a modified version of the F-15 Eagle’s F100-PW-100, which was rated at 23,830 lbf (106.0 kN) thrust.

Over the years, new and more powerful engines were developed which made the F-16 even more powerful and deadlier than ever before! The General Electric F110-GE-132 turbofan has a maximum thrust of 32,500 lbf (144.6 kN) which is the highest thrust engine ever developed for the F-16 fighter.

F-16 Cockpit

The one thing pilots love most about the F-16 Cockpit is the superior field of view. You can see everything right from the cockpit because of the frameless bubble canopy and the position of the pilots seat. You get an unprecedented 360° all-round visibility with a 40° look-down angle over each side of the aircraft and a 15° look-down angle over the nose (compared to the 12–13° you get with other fighter aircraft).

The F-16 cockpit was designed for the fighter pilot to see and control the aircraft like never before. This is a cockpits cockpit and everything the engineers could think of was designed into this cockpit. Inside the cockpit is the ACES II zero/zero ejection seat which is reclined at an unusual tilt-back angle of 30°.

This allows a more comfortable flight for taller pilots and it makes it a whole lot easier to tolerate those G forces too! Other fighter planes have a tilted pilots seat of only 13–15° so the pilot sits in a more upright position. Sitting in an F-16 cockpit is almost like sitting in a Lazy Boy recliner in your home.

Another big change in the cockpit was the positioning of the control stick. Instead of the control stick being between the pilots legs they moved it to the right side of the cockpit. This makes controlling the F-16 a whole lot easier. Especially, in a high G turn and with its state-of-the-art fly-by-wire system, which makes the F-16 even easier to control.

USAF Thunderbirds

The USAF Thunderbirds are an air demonstration squadron based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada and assigned to the 57th Wing. The Thunderbirds have been showing off their skills for 65 years and counting. They were created in 1953 and are the third oldest flying aerobatic team in the world, after the United States Navy Blue Angels formed in 1946 and the French Air Force Patrouille de France formed in 1931.

If you’ve never seen the Thunderbirds in action, I strongly recommend you find a way to one of their airshows because this is an experience like no other. You have to see the Thunderbirds in person to understand exactly what I’m talking about so make sure you add the Thunderbirds to your bucket list if you haven’t already.

Since 1953, when the Thunderbirds were created. They have flown many different aircraft in their shows with my favorite being the F-4 Phantom and F-16. Not any old fighter jet makes the cut so you can be sure that the Thunderbirds are flying the BEST America has to offer so here are the aircraft that have made the cut over the years.

The first Thunderbirds to take to the skies was the F-84 Thunderjet/Thunderstreak. the second aircraft was the F-100 Super Sabre, the third Thunderbird was the F-4 Phantom II. the fourth Thunderbird was the T-38 Talon and the final and current aircraft is the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is the longest flying Thunderbird at 30 years and still counting.

Fly Amongst The Solo Thunder 🌟 USAF Thunderbirds 🌟 A Kick-Ass RIDE!

All right pilots! I have a real treat for you today so buckle your seat belts and get ready for a KICK-ASS RIDE! I do have to warn you that this is NOT a flight for the faint of heart! So, if you’re ready for the flight of your life, than watch the video above NOW. This is a MUST WATCH video for flight enthusiasts. You guys are going to love it!

You are moments away from getting a first person view of what it’s like to fly with the World Famous Fabulous Thunderbirds. You’ll get to sit in the cockpit of the F-16 and perform maneuvers that will turn your stomach inside out and make your teeth and bones rattle too. Go ahead and watch the video and enjoy the flight. I hope you don’t get airsick!

I hope you enjoyed that magnificent flight as much as I did. Could you imagine doing that for a living? I’d fly for FREE if I ever got the chance but with that said. I really do hope you had a blast during your incredible flight aboard the Thunderbirds F-16 Fighting Falcon. I know you just watched the video and are all pumped up. Who wouldn’t be?

Well, I have another surprise for you! It’s even better than that awesome Thunderbirds video you just watched. How would you like to fly a real F-16 Fighting Falcon yourself? I’m NOT talking about the physical airplane but something almost as good as the real thing and a flight experience like no other in the gaming industry. GUARANTEED or you fly for FREE!

F-16 Flight Simulator!

Introducing the World’s MOST REALISTIC F-16 Flight Simulator, the AMAZING Virtual Pilot 3D! You will NOT find a more realistic flight simulator anywhere online and that includes some of the BEST flight simulator games on the market today!

Virtual Pilot 3D is way more than a flight simulator game and rivals flight sims like Microsoft’s Flight Simulator X! Virtual Pilot 3D is the GREATEST flight simulator game that you’ve never heard of before. That’s because Virtual Pilot 3D is NOT available in stores and can only be found online.

You are about to fly the MOST REALISTIC F-16 ever created for a flight simulator game. The F-16 is just one of over 200 airplanes and helicopters to choose from. Heck, you can even fly the Space Shuttle too! Like I said, Virtual Pilot 3D is more than a game and unlike any other flight simulator you’ve flown before. GUARANTEED!

Jump into the cockpit of the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon NOW by clicking on the orange button below. You are moments away from a flight simulator experience that is second to none. This is flight simulation at its BEST and it’s just a click away! So, are you ready to finally fly a real flight simulator game?

Lockheed Model 10E Electra

Amelia Earhart flew the Lockheed Model 10E Electra with her co-pilot Fred Noonan in an attempt to fly around the world. Fred and Amelia chose the Model 10E Electra because she was a well built and proven aircraft they thought would give them the best chance to accomplish this incredible feat. Aviation was still in it’s infancy in 1937 and what Amelia was attempting to do was extremely difficult and dangerous for any aviator.

The Lockheed Model 10 Electra was made famous because of Amelia Earhart’s tragic disappearance somewhere near her intended destination, Howland Island (0°48′24″N 176°36′59″W Coordinates: 0°48′24″N 176°36′59″W) on July 2, 1937. The Lockheed Model 10E Electra and Amelia Earhart are forever linked in history. To this day, Amelia Earhart’s disappearance is shrouded in mystery and controversy. This was one of the 20th centuries greatest mysteries and still remains unsolved today!

However, in March of 2018 new research claims that bones found on a remote Pacific island eight decades ago are indeed Amelia Earhart’s. Could this be true? Have they really found Amelia Earhart? If this is true, one of the GREATEST mysteries of all time has finally been solved. This would be an incredible turn of events and would finally answer all sorts of questions.

The bones were found on the Pacific island of Nikumaroro in 1940 and were examined in 1941 by Dr. D. W. Hoodless, principal of the Central Medical School in Fiji. He concluded that the bones found belonged to a male and since that time the bones have been lost. A new study concludes that Dr. Hoodless was wrong in his analysis and those bones were indeed Amelia Earhart’s.

The new study contends that the science of forensic pathology was not as advanced as it is now and points out that this could have definitely affected his analysis. Forensic anthropology was not as advanced in the early 20th century as it is today but without those remains, it can not be proven if these were really Amelia Earhart’s bones and it is just a theory.

Lockheed Electra Airplane

The Lockheed Electra Airplane was designed in the 1930’s by Lockheed to be a passenger plane. It was designed to compete against the Boeing 247 and Douglas DC-2. The Lockheed Model 10E Electra became famous and forever intertwined with Amelia Earhart because of her ill-fated flight around the world which ended in tragedy on July 2, 1937.

There were several variation of the Model 10 Electra which was an American built all metal monoplane with twin engines. Hall Hibbard designed the Model 10 Electra to be a light airliner which first flew in February 23, 1934 and quickly went into production in 1935. Only 149 Model 10 Electra’s were built with Amelia Earhart’s modified Electra 10E being one of them.

The U.S. Government banned the use of single engine aircraft for carrying passengers and night flying in October 1934. Aviation was not as efficient back then as it is today. Especially, the engines which were known to fail. Should the only engine on the aircraft fail, it would certainly be a disaster. This is why Lockheed’s Model 10 Electra was born and could fly with one engine should one fail.

The Lockheed Model 10 Electra was a revolutionary design in 1935. It wasn’t long before the orders started coming in from US-based airlines and several European operators as well. The Model 10 Electra was in Latin America too! The first airline to use the Model 10 Electras was Cubana de Aviación for its domestic routes starting in 1935.

We all know the most famous use of the Electra was the highly modified Model 10E flown by legendary aviatrix Amelia Earhart and her co-pilot Fred Noonan. As you can see in the image above, the Model 10E Electra Amelia flew into history was fitted with extra fuel tanks and other modifications.

Lockheed Model 10 Electra Cockpit

Below, you can see Amelia sitting in her Lockheed Model 10 Electra Cockpit for a photo op in 1937 before her around the world flight later that year. As you can see she looks right at home in the cockpit which was state-of-the-art at the time and very comfortable compared to other cockpits from that time period.

Comfort was the last thing on the mind of engineers but the Lockheed Model 10 Electra cockpit would be different for several reasons. One being that the flight deck was roomier with more padding in the pilots seat for a more comfortable flight. Every pilot in the world wanted to fly the Model 10 Electra. It wasn’t just because of the cockpit.

The Lockheed Model 10 Electra was an all steel constructed monoplane. It was rugged and tough and built to land on the hardest runways in the world. There weren’t many paved runways back in 1937 so you needed an airplane with rugged landing gear able to handle the stresses of taking off and landing on dirt and grass runways.

Inside the Lockheed Model 10 Electra Cockpit were all the bells and whistles a pilot could expect to find in a cockpit in 1935 and even today. Just like the airplane itself, the Lockheed Model 10 Electra Cockpit was ahead of it’s time. Amelia and her crew made the cockpit even better with more state-of-the-art equipment not found on a standard Model 10 Electra.

Facts About Amelia Earhart

Here are some fun Facts About Amelia Earhart you may not have known about. Amelia Mary Earhart was born July 24, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas, U.S. She was the first women to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Amelia also holds many early aviation records. She is a true pioneer, legendary aviatrix and an American icon!

Which is why her disappearance on July 2, 1937 has baffled investigators and historians for eight decades now. Even younger generations know who Amelia Earhart is so her disappearance is still one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of all time but that may not be the case any longer. That’s because of a newly discovered photo that may blow this case wide open.

Ever hear that old saying? A picture is worth a thousand words! Well, there it is right below for all the world to see. What you’re looking at is a photo of what appears to be Amelia Earhart, Fred Noonan and their Model 10E Electra on the back of a Japanese ship.

Earlier, I shared some evidence discovered from a recent report in March of 2018 claiming that remains found on the Pacific island of Nikumaroro in 1940 were indeed Amelia Earhart’s. I’m sorry for getting your hopes up but that report could not prove those remains were Amelia’s because the bone fragments were lost decades ago.

In the end, that 2018 report was nothing more than another theory. I thought it was an interesting report right up to the part when they said the bones were lost. It’s easy to speculate and make assumptions but without those bones for DNA testing, why say anything at all. There is no proof to back up their theory even though it may be a good one.

Amelia Earhart 2017 History Channel Full Documentary (The Lost Evidence)

We may never really know what happened to Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan but a never before seen photo has surfaced. It has been authenticated to be real. You saw the photo above for yourself. There is an uncanny resemblance to Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan in that photo even though we can not be 100% certain.

Make sure you take the time to watch the amazing History Channel documentary as they explain this photo and so much more. This is a MUST WATCH video if you want to know the truth! Please let me know what you think happened to Amelia Earhart in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you guys think about this photo and what your thoughts are on the documentary.

Even though Amelia Earhart failed to fly around the world. She still lives on in history and is a pioneer for woman in aviation. Amelia was a whole lot more than just an aviator. She was also a person who loved life and was loved by her husband, family and friends. We often forget that celebrities like Amelia are people too!

I truly hope that someday we get the real story behind the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan. Amelia’s last flight is still a mystery! However, the documentary seems to suggest that they are closer than ever before to solving one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the 20th century.

Fly The Lockheed Model 10 Electra!

Jump on board of Amelia’s Model 10E Electra and fly around the world today! That’s a 27,000 mile trip so I hope you bring a couple of sandwiches with you, it’s going to be a long flight! You will be flying an exact replica of Amelia’s plane! Every nut and bolt recreated with a working cockpit too!

The Lockheed Model 10 Electra is just one of over 200+ airplanes and helicopters you can fly inside Virtual Pilot 3D. The Worlds MOST REALISTIC Flight Simulator! This is a state-of-the-art next generation flight simulator! Virtual Pilot 3D rivals other flight simulator games like Microsoft’s Flight Simulator and Flight Simulator X. Even though those flight simulator games are GREAT!

Virtual Pilot 3D is lightyears ahead of the completion! Virtual Pilot 3D is second to none when it comes to it’s superior flight modeling system. There has never been a flight simulator game this advanced ever created for a home computer. You will not find Virtual Pilot 3D in stores. You can only find it online so make sure you get it while you can. This flight sim is HOT!

Go ahead and fly the Lockheed Model 10E Electra now by clicking on the orange button below. I’ll see you on the next page where I’ll give you a personal tour of the MOST HI-TECH flight simulator game ever created. You haven’t flown a REAL flight simulator until you fly Virtual Pilot 3D. Get ready for a flight experience like no other!

Northrop YF-23 Black Widow II

The YF-23 Black Widow is perhaps the GREATEST fighter plane that never was. She was a single seat stealth fighter originally designed by Northrop which was one of several companies that submitted design proposals to the United States Air Force (USAF). The USAF selected proposals from Northrop and Lockheed with Lockheed, Boeing and General Dynamics teaming up to develop the YF-22 Raptor while Northrop teamed up with McDonnell Douglas to develop the YF-23 Black Widow II.

There were two Northrop YF-23 prototypes built nicknamed the “Black Widow II” and “Gray Ghost”. The YF-23A Gray Ghost was the production variant of the YF-23 and the YF-23 Black Widow II was the first prototype. Northrop’s YF-23 was competing in the USAF’s Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) competition, battling the Lockheed YF-22 for a production contract. The next four years would see the YF-23 and YF-22 compete in a hotly contested evaluation and development process.

YF-23 Black Widow II – Full Documentary – This Is A Must Watch Video!

The YF-23 Black Widow looks like something you would see in a Buck Rogers or Star Wars movie. She was definitely ahead of her time and one of the most beautiful fighter planes ever built. As you take a look at this AMAZING airplane, it’s hard to believe that she was designed and built in the late 1980’s. The YF-23 Black Widow II was stealthier and faster, but less agile than the YF-22 Raptor. It was a long and grueling development and evaluation process.

Both airplanes exceeded expectations but there could only be one winner. In 1991, the USAF finally announced the winner of the competition. Although the YF-23 Black Widow performed flawlessly throughout the development and evaluation process. The USAF chose the YF-22 which entered into production as the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. It’s too bad that the USAF did not decide to build both aircraft. She would have been a great addition to the Air Force!

YF-23 Black Widow 2 Declassified

The YF-23 Black Widow 2 Declassified, here’s what we know! There are two YF-23 prototypes in existence and were built by Northrop/McDonnell Douglas in 1989-1990. The first YF-23 (serial number 87-0800), Prototype Air Vehicle 1 (PAV-1), rolled out on June 22, 1990 and made its maiden flight on August 27, 1990 piloted by Alfred “Paul” Metz. The second YF-23 (serial number 87-0801, PAV-2) made its maiden flight on October 26, 1990 with Jim Sandberg at the controls.

The first YF-23 was nicknamed the “Black Widow II”, after the LEGENDARY Northrop P-61 Black Widow of World War II. She was painted charcoal gray while the second YF-23 Spider or Gray Ghost was painted in two shades of gray. The YF-23 had diamond shaped wings which made it an unconventional-looking aircraft. The YF-23 also featured an all-moving V-tail while the diamond wing configuration reduced aerodynamic drag at transonic speeds.

It was a revolutionary and bold design. The engineers really thought outside the box with their YF-23 design. There was nothing like the YF-23 then and NOW! Both YF-23’s flew 50 times for a total of 65.2 hours. These test flights demonstrated and confirmed Northrop’s predicted performance values for their YF-23. The YF-23 Black Widow II was much more faster and stealthier but the YF-22 was more agile.

On September 18, 1990, the first YF-23 super-cruised at Mach 1.43 while the second YF-23 reached Mach 1.6 on November 29, 1990. The YF-23 achieved a maximum angle-of-attack of 25° and a top speed of Mach 1.8 with afterburners. Although the maximum speed is classified, inside sources state a super-cruise speed greater than Mach 1.6 and a maximum speed greater than Mach 2 at altitude.

YF-23 Cockpit

The YF-23 Cockpit was state-of-the-art back in the its day and was every fighter pilot’s dream! The cockpit was placed high near the nose of the aircraft for the best visibility a fighter pilot could ask for. The pilot had a full 360° view which is unprecedented in a fighter aircraft. The cockpit features the control stick between the pilots legs with the throttle on the side with two head-down displays (HDD) right in front of the pilot.

The YF-23’s flight control surfaces are controlled by the central management computer system. Pilots could raise the wing flaps and ailerons on one side and lower them on the other providing roll. The YF-23’s V-tail fins are angled at 50° from vertical. Pitch is mainly provided by rotating the YF-23’s V-tail fins in opposite directions so their front edges move together or apart and yaw is supplied by rotating the tail fins in the same direction.

YF-23 Engine

The YF-23 Engine in the image above is the Pratt & Whitney YF119 which had 35,000 lbf (156 kN) each while the second YF-23’s engine was a General Electric YF120 after-burning turbofan. Both the Pratt & Whitney YF119 and the General Electric YF120 after-burning turbofan were great power plants for the YF-23 and performed similarly in test flights.

Had the YF-23 Gray Ghost went into production, they would have probably fitted her with the Pratt & Whitney YF119. This is the same power plant the USAF chose for the F-22 Raptor production version. The Pratt & Whitney YF119 had a maximum speed at altitude Mach 2.2+ (1,450+ mph, 2,335+ km/h) and at super-cruise Mach 1.6+ (1,060+ mph, 1,706+ km/h).

YF-23 Images

Here are some YF-23 Images I found online that will give you a good look at the YF-23 Black Widow. She is a beautiful aircraft no matter what angle you look at her. All right, lets take a walk around the YF-23 and get close up view. All right, lets start with the front of the aircraft. Below, is the front view of the AMAZING YF-23 Black Widow and she looks like she’s ready for take-off!

You can clearly see why she was much more stealthier than the YF-22. Her sleek design with her 50 degree V-Tail make her almost completely invisible to radar and she is much more stealthier than the F-117 Nighthawk too! She was dubbed the World’s first invisible plane and with good reason. The enemy is fortunate this plane never went into production because they’d never see what hit them, LITERALLY!

Take a look at this incredible profile shot of the YF-23 and imagine what it would be like standing right next to her. As you can see she has a long sleek design so she can travel at transonic speeds and avoid enemy radar with ease. There are no other aircraft in service around the world today that can compare with the YF-23 with the exception of the F-22 Raptor.

Lets continue our walk around and take a look at the back of the YF-23 Black Widow. Now you can get a real good look at the 50 degree V-Tail and the unique engine exhaust design. Unlike conventional aircraft, the exhaust does not come straight out of the back of the engine but through troughs lined with heat-ablating tiles to dissipate heat and shield the engines from infrared homing (IR) missile detection from below. They were not thrust vectoring like the YF-22.

Why The YF-23 “Gray Ghost” Was Never Built – The Super Plane Forgotten

Now that you’ve got to see the AMAZING YF-23 Black Widow up close and personal. You may be asking the same question I’m asking. Why wasn’t the YF-23 chosen over the YF-22? Well, there may be several reason such as the one ones stated by the United States Air Force on April 23, 1991 when Secretary of the Air Force Donald Rice announced that the YF-22 was the winner.

Perhaps one of the reasons the YF-23 was not chosen was because it was not as agile as the YF-22. Some aviation insiders speculated in the aviation press that the YF-22 was also seen as more adaptable to the Navy’s NATF, but by 1992 the U.S. Navy had abandoned its Navalized Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF) program which the YF-23 was not suited for. Perhaps the YF-23 would have been chosen instead had the Navy made their decision earlier.

There was a possible revival of the YF-23 in 2004 to meet the USAF’s need for an interim bomber. Northrop modified the YF-23A Gray Ghost which was the second prototype built as the production variant. However as fate would have it, the YF-23 would never enter into service as an interim bomber. In 2006, the Quadrennial Defense Review concluded that they needed a long-range bomber with much greater range.

The YF-23’s are now retired and resting comfortably in museums. YF-23A PAV-2, AF serial number 87-0801, registration number N232YF, is on display at Zamperini Field, Torrance, California and YF-23A PAV-1, Air Force serial number 87-0800, registration number N231YF, is on display in the Research and Development hangar of the National Museum of the United States Air Force near Dayton, Ohio.

I do have to warn you because this INCREDIBLE flight simulator game is NOT for those that are faint of heart. This is NOT your daddy’s flight simulator game, I can GUARANTEE YOU! In just a few moments from now, you’ll fly an exact replica of the LEGENDARY YF-23 Black Widow so I hope you’re ready pilot!

The YF-23 is just one of over 200 airplanes and helicopters to choose from. It’s like getting instant access to your very own private Air & Space Museum! Virtual Pilot 3D is the BEST flight simulator game you’ve never heard of and rivals some of the top flight sims in the industry. In fact, it’s even better! You haven’t flown a real flight simulator until you fly Virtual Pilot 3D, GUARANTEED or you fly for FREE!

All right pilot! Are you ready to jump into your very own YF-23 Black Widow? Just click on the orange button below. I’ll see you on the next page where you’ll get to see everything Virtual Pilot 3D has to offer. Virtual Pilot 3D is NOT available in stores and can only be found here online. Plus, there’s a HUGE discount and bonuses waiting for you on the next page.